Whether you’re a longtime local or planning a visit, Duluth is a perfect place to enjoy the winter season. We’ve compiled a list of all our favorite wintertime activities to help your plan your visit, your weekend, or even just your afternoon!
Get Out & Get Active
Ice Skating
The Essentia Duluth Heritage Center offers free open skating every Wednesday from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM while school is in session, along with some extra dates and special events! Check out their flier for more information.
Plus, the Duluth Parks & Recreation Department offers a handy map of local outdoor skating rinks.
Skiing / Snowboarding
There’s no better place for downhill skiing in Duluth than Spirit Mountain! Be sure to check out their ski and snowboard lessons for those newer to the slopes — full-day lessons include a lift ticket for the day, and half-day lessons can be upgraded to a day pass for just $5!
Looking for cross-country ski trails? Duluth Outdoors maintains a constantly updated list of nearby trails and trail conditions!
Fat Tire Biking
Just because there’s snow on the ground doesn’t mean cycling season is over! Fat-tire cyclists can make use of all Duluth’s cross-country trails. Need some company? Keep an eye on the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores Facebook page for event updates!
Indoor Options
If it’s just a bit too wintery outside, you can catch some serious air at Planet 3 Indoor Trampoline Park, or strap in for an indoor climb at Vertical Endeavors!
Enjoy the Arts
Theatre & Film
There’s still one weekend left to catch Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the NorShor Theatre, and the weekend after that, the NorShor will screen “It’s a Wonderful Life” on Sunday the 23rd at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM! (Tickets are going fast!)
This Saturday, December 15th at 10:00 AM, Zeitgeist Arts continues its Kids Film Series with A Muppet Christmas Carol! Admission is FREE!
Music & Arts
Kolar Chevrolet’s annual “Holiday on the Hill” event on Thursday, December 20th will feature Travis Ladoyt, “The World’s Best Young Elvis!” Proceeds from this fun, family-friendly event benefit the Boys and Girls Club and the Scottish Rite Clinic of Duluth. A great time for a great cause!
Looking ahead to New Year’s Eve, the DSSO presents a show like no other! They’ll be rockin’ in the New Year with an orchestral tribute to Journey. Get your tickets while you can!
And of course, there’s always the Tweed Museum of Art and the Karpeles Manuscript Museum!
Get Some Grub!
Breweries
West Duluth has two great new brewpubs worth a visit — Duluth Cider and Ursa Minor Brewing! The latter is hosting a Winter Solstice Celebration on Saturday, December 22nd, with events all day long!
Restaurants
Wasabi Japanese Cuisine, the latest addition to the Downtown Duluth dining scene, features all-you-can-eat sushi and make-your-own poke bowls!
These are just a few of the ways you can make the most of winter in Duluth this year. Be sure to check out our Events and Things to Do pages for even more options!